South African Oxtail stew can (and should) be the food of kings. Slow-cooked in a dutch oven for 6 hours until it falls off the bone with a rich gravy that just waits to be soaked up by a thick slice of buttered bread! Enjoy it!
Oxtail used to be an ingredient that was frowned upon being the tail of the ox. But when I grew up in South Africa it was and still is a famous dish that is loved by most people. You will find a South African oxtail stew recipe together with a fetcook/vetkoek recipe in almost every household these days.
It is also one of those rare dishes that bring people together. Normally it is made outdoors in a 3 legged cast iron pot on fire (I will still do that recipe in the near future). But for this version, I chose to make it in a Dutch oven on the stove.
One of the biggest secrets for a delicious oxtail is heat control. The pot should be on the LOWEST heat possible. When you place your ear next to your pot you should hear it bubbling gently away. And every now and then you should witness a puff of steam escape that infuses the kitchen with an aroma that drives the family wild with hunger:).
One of the mistakes a lot of people make is to add too much water/liquid in their pot. Don’t do it! If you cook the pot on low heat one cup of beef stock with the tomatoes will be sufficient.
Basic Ingredients
The ingredients are basic. But what adds a nice caramelized flavor is the brown sugar that you add when browning your meat.
Give this oxtail potjie / stew a go. It is a special dish, and goes really well in winter or summer.
PS: Don’t be afraid to eat the oxtail with your hands! It is the only way to get the good meat of the bone. And if you enjoy stews that are slow-cooked try out my easy chicken stew.
PrintSouth African Oxtail Stew
- Total Time: 6:30 hours
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
A hearty oxtail stew that will warm the cockles of your heart! Slow-cooked for 6 hours with meat that falls from the bone and a rich gravy that will become a sure favorite of the family.
Ingredients
- 1 kg of Oxtail( Choose a packet that does not have too much fat around the meat)
- 2 Big onions roughly chopped
- 2 Tomatoes cut into quarters( or 2 tablespoons tomato paste)
- 3 medium potatoes peeled and cut into quarters
- 2–3 medium carrots cut into chunks
- 350 ml of beef stock
- Coarse sea salt
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon fine black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried Origanum
- 3 cloves of garlic roughly diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 clove
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Heat dutch oven on medium-high heat. Season the meat with sugar, salt, and pepper then add some oil and brown the meat in batches. ( Make sure the meat is nicely browned for lots of flavor.)
- Then take the meat out and add the onions and garlic and bay leaves. Gently fry them for 5 minutes or so until they are nice and fragrant.
- Deglaze with the beef stock. Add the browned meat back on top of the onions. Add the tomatoes, origanum, Nutmeg, and the clove. And then put on the lid.
- Turn your heat source to its lowest setting and leave for 3 hours. ( You should just see a little puff of steam escaping every now and then. Also if you listen to it it should gently bubble away) You can open the pot after 2 hours just to make sure there is enough liquid inside. If it looks a bit dry add a little bit of water.
- After 3 hours add the potatoes and the carrots. If there is not enough liquid add a little bit of water. Give the pot one good mix and put on the lid again. Leave for another 3 hours on the lowest setting.
- After the 3 hours take the pot off the heat source and let cool for 10 minutes or so. The fat will rise to the top. You can skim most of it off with paper towels if you want to. Give the pot one more good stir and serve with rice or chunky ciabatta bread!
Notes
- The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products I use or recommend.
- This dish works best with a heavy-based cast iron pot. It retains heat better during the slow cook process.
- Listen to your pot. Put your ear next to it and you should hear it bubbling gently away and see a puff of steam escape every now and then. Heat control is key.
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Stew Potjie
- Method: Slow cook
- Cuisine: South African
Keywords: Stew
Joe
If using a slow cooker are the cooking times the same or different?
Thank you.
The Nomadic Cook
Hi Joe,
I have not made this dish in a slow cooker so I can’t say for sure. You will have to experiment with different heat settings. Let me know if you find the right combination that works. Good luck.
Myra Lee
Hello from Texas! I happened across your South African Oxtail Stew recipe sometime last year when I had a craving for oxtail and happened to magically have all the ingredients on hand. Hands down THE best oxtail stew I’ve made—delicious! For whatever reason I didn’t save the recipe so I’m relieved to have once again found it and I have already made plans for it to be on the menu this week. Any future plans for new recipes?
★★★★★
The Nomadic Cook
Hi Myra Lee , It is great to see the Texan’s cooking some South African Oxtail! I believe you have amazing beef over there.
I am happy you enjoyed the recipe so much. Yeah I have to get back on the horse and start posting some new recipes again.
I hope it goes down well with the family next week! Kind regards. Albert.
David
Trying this for the first time. So far so good. My late mother was an ox tail expert but has long since passed away. l never thought to get the recipe from her but this pot is talking and smelling devine.
The Nomadic Cook
Hi David. I am happy you are giving it a go. Let me know how it went. I hope it brings back fond memories of your moms cooking.You mentioned the pot is talking and that is always a good sign. Means you are having good heat control.
Danny Hunt
Thanks for sharing your recipe, made it for 12 people last night, what a hit!
★★★★★
The Nomadic Cook
Hi Danny,
Thanks for the feedback. Some people get nervous cooking the dish in larger quantities but seemed like you nailed it!
Bianca
This recipe is so yummy!! And SO versatile. I added some fresh rosemary and it was so delicious. Thank you for sharing this with the world!
★★★★★
The Nomadic Cook
Hi Bianca,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe! The recipe sounds like a great addition 👌
Matt
What an incredible recipe! Thank you so much for sharing!
★★★★★
The Nomadic Cook
Hi Matt.
You are welcome! I am happy you enjoyed it!
Pieter du Randt
Strange way of cooking but definateley the best oxtail I have ever made. thanks for sharing. Do you have a preffered lamb rib recipe that youncan share?
★★★★★
The Nomadic Cook
Hi Pieter,
I am glad you liked the recipe! Yes I have a few recipes for lamb rib but have not had time to add them to the website. However here are two of them. First the “staan rib” and then one I use in the Weber. Basic instructions but let me know if you need more clarity. And let me know how it went please.
Staan rib
Perfect for socialising around the fire. Can cook other food on coals at same time.
Cooking : 2-3h
Yield : 4
Ingredients
Big fat lamb rib broken and scored from butcher
Salt
Black pepper
2 lemons
Fresh Rosemary
Directions
Pat dry and Air dry rib for 2-4hours in fridge.
Rub rib with salt and fine black pepper. Put fresh rosemary leaves all over. Make sure it gets into cracks.
Light medium fire and position stand about 30cm from flames. You should be able to keep your hand there for 10 seconds.
Add rib bone side to fire and fat side up so fat flow down rib.
After 45 minutes turn rib around so fat side to fire for 15minutes or so. Squeeze lemon juice over.
Return bone side to fire for another 30 minutes.
Flip again for 10 minutes fat side and squeeze lemon juice.
Return bone side 20 minutes or so.
Rib should be close to finish.
Flip to fat side for 5 minutes for crispy fat.
Comments
Keep adding wood to keep medium flames going. This is indirect cooking. Use coals to bake bread or other side dishes. Even braaing other meat.
Lamb Rib in Weber
Ingredients
1.6kg Lamb rib, nice fat and broken from butcher. Must not be in packed when buying. Course sea salt. Rosemary. Fine black pepper.Fresh Lemons
Directions
Put course sea salt all over fat. Air dry for 4-5 Hours. Shake salt off.Cut diamonds through fat. Put some pepper and rosemary leaves all over and into cuts. Cook over indirect heat for 60min on bone side. Then turn for 15 min on Fat side. Then turn add Fresh lemon juice. Cook another 45 min on bone side. Squeeze lemon all over. Turn and cook fat side 10 min. Turn and cook 15 min bone side. Put crushed garlic on goals last 10min.. Rest 10 min.
Pieter du Randt
Thanks Albert! I tried the staan rib and it was amazing. trying the Weber this weekend! Thank you for all the effort!
The Nomadic Cook
You are welcome Pieter! Few things beat a properly cooked lamb ribbietjie!
Ann
can this be made in a crock pot?
The Nomadic Cook
Hi Ann,
Yes it can definitely be made in a crock pot.
Hentie
This recipe is the best, and will remain my go to for Oxtail till the day I die. Thanks for sharing.
The Nomadic Cook
Hi Hentie. Your comment gave me a smile It is a big pleasure! And I am happy that you found the recipe tasty.
Peter Grave
Bloody Hell!! This was amzing! My friends that I hosted called me the King of Oxtail. Here in the USA we normaly dont cook it but a frined suggested a South African recipe. I found yours on the first page. Please share more of your recepies.
The Nomadic Cook
Hi Peter. I am so happy you and your friends enjoyed the recipe. Sounds like you nailed it! Welldone!
Ansunette
I made this a while ago and am making it again this weekend, because it was soo damn good! I can really say that this recipe is a treasure! Thank you for sharing this with us.
★★★★★
The Nomadic Cook
Hi Ansunette, I am so happy you enjoyed the recipe so much. Hearing that people love the recipe makes it all worth it for me. Happy cooking😃
Eben
My family, who has a history on both my Parents’ sides – with their own best oxtail recipes- AGREED that yours ia the best… boom!
The Nomadic Cook
Hi Eben. I am happy the recipe made such a good impression. And that it did not cause a family rift:)
Cindy newton
Hi there
Can this oxtail be made in advance. I am hosting a Birthday party for a friend and would like to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible on the day.
Thanks Cindy
The Nomadic Cook
Hi Cindy,
Yes, this recipe will work great making it in advance. But please keep in mind the following tips when doing it.
1) Remember to remove all the food from the cast iron pot before putting it in the fridge(If you keep the food in the pot an iron taste will
leach into the food)
2) Don’t freeze the stew. The potatoes will make the stew grainy on the day you defrost it.
3) Make the dish a day or two before your party and store it in the fridge covering it tightly with a lid. (Don’t make it longer than 2
days before)
4) On the day of the party add the food back to your cast iron pot and reheat it on low heat until it is heated through. Start at least one
hour before the meal as it might take longer to heat up than you would expect. The cast iron will keep the food hot for quite a while
once it is heated through. The cast-iron pot is also a nice centerpiece for a party and most people will enjoy dishing up from it.
I hope this helps. Enjoy the party and please let me know how the meal went with your guests.
Kind Regards.
Albert.
Richard Mason
lekker!
★★★★★
★★★★★
The Nomadic Cook
Glad to hear you liked it Richard!
Bianca
I spent about 3 hours on the internet looking for a decent recipe to replicate the oxtail potjie I remover having as a kid back in SA. My husband bought me a slow cooker for Christmas and I knew that this was the first thing I was cooking in there! That’s so much for the detailed steps! And sharing your recipe! It was amazing, the only change I made was added one “wine stock” pot to it!
Really was amazing and will be printing this out to keep in my home recipe book 👌🏻
★★★★★
The Nomadic Cook
Hi Bianca, I am so happy that you enjoyed the recipe! I think Oxtail has a special place in every South African’s heart. Enjoy the slow cooker. And thank you for taking the time to post a review.
Peter Johnstone
Extremely tasty recipe! Takes a bit long to prepare but absolutely worth the wait! Thank you for sharing.
★★★★★
The Nomadic Cook
Thank you Peter! I am glad you enjoyed it and that it was worth the wait. Slow food at its best.
Terence Henwood
Thanks so much for sharing your recipe. Even my mother in law commented on how delicious it turned out 😜
★★★★★
★★★★★
The Nomadic Cook
You are welcome Terence. I am happy to hear it passed the mother in law test!😂 Thanks for taking the time to write a comment. I really do appreciate it. Happy cooking👍
John Stone
Absoluteley the food of kings!! One of the best meals I have ever cooked. Thanks Albert
★★★★★
Cyprian
Delicious recipe
I added some chili fory personal taste and the result was awesome
The Nomadic Cook
I am happy you enjoyed it, Cyprian. Yes, the beauty of savory cooking is that you can experiment with different flavors. As long as you have the basics right about the amount of liquid and slow cooking you can’t go wrong.
Jean Marie
Thank you for making this South African favourite doable for ‘non-cooks’!! We love your website!!
★★★★★
Olga Kruger
Sjoeee Albert, what a wonderfull time we had around this Pot! The meat is out of this world…slow cooking is doing the trick! Thanx for sharing this recipe, and the video was very helpfull AND the tip about not using a lot of liquid!
★★★★★
Inge
I want to make this on the fire in my potjie pot
Can I do the same?
Other recipes say 4 hours… I’m not sure 😅
The Nomadic Cook
Hi Inge,
Yes you can definitely make this in a cast iron “potjie” on the fire. It is more difficult but very rewarding. The trick is heat control. You need very little coals under the pot to keep it bubbling away once the pot is hot and the meat is browned.( One or two coals is usually enough to keep it bubbling away) As mentioned in the recipe you have to listen to your pot. It can burn very easily on the fire.
I would recommend to open it up every 1.5 hours or so and just add some water if necessary.
6 Hours is still the best time to get a nice soft and flavorful stew.
It normally takes some practise to use a potjie on a fire. I would suggest to first start out with a cheaper cut of meat like chuck. Reduce the cooking time to 3 hours and put the potatoes in the pot in the beginning right after the meat is browned. ( Out of experience potatoes need about 3 hours to cook to perfection on low heat). That way you will learn how to control the heat and listen to your pot. Once you have nailed it, try the oxtail!
Let me know how it went.